Saturday, 26 July 2008

Claypot rice is a traditional one-pot meal that my family loved eating on the streets of Kampar in Malaysia. The rice and other ingredients (such as chicken, Chinese sausage and mushrooms) are baked in the claypot on top of a charcoal stove. According to some, the crispy (but not burnt) pieces of rice stuck to the sides and bottom of the claypot are arguably the best part of the dish. The claypot goes from stove to table and everyone either has their own little claypot rice or shares from a communal pot, and the design of the claypot ensures maximum retention of heat and food remains hot for a good while.

Many stalls and restaurants now cook them on a gas stove instead of charcoal stove, and some argue that charcoal-cooked ones still taste better. Claypot rice can also be cooked in a rice cooker if you don't have a claypot or want the convenience of a rice cooker. You will not get the crispy rice bits at the bottom of the pot but I'm not a big fan of them anyway so that's not a problem. The seasoning for claypot rice is the standard mix of oil and light and dark soy sauces but I also like to use a spice paste that I have found to taste pretty authentic. Instructions at the back make it quite dummy proof too. Chicken, Chinese sausage and dried mushrooms are traditionally used but you can also make this with seafood. AP does not seem to like Chinese sausage so I have replaced that with bacon (you can also use pancetta or even chorizo for different flavours). This is not the most authentic way to make claypot rice, but it is simple and convenient and I get the taste of home - and that's good enough for me!

Method: 1. Marinate the chicken pieces and set aside for 30 minutes. 2. If using, fry the salted fish pieces in oil until crisp and set aside. Heat some oil in a large pan or wok and stir fry the white parts of the spring onions, chicken, Chinese sausage and mushrooms for a few minutes until the chicken turns white and is almost cooked. Set aside. 3. Add the cooked rice, chicken, mushrooms and Chinese sausage back to the wok and pour in the rice seasoning or the spice paste, and green parts of the spring onions. Mix well over medium heat and then transfer to a rice cooker. Let the rice mixture sit on 'Keep Warm' or 'Low' setting for 15-20 minutes for the flavours to mix thoroughly. Garnish with chopped spring onions, coriander and/or salted fish and serve.

Tip: It is worth marinating the chicken pieces even if you're using a spice paste. The flavour and texture of the meat will thank you for it.

This is the spice paste that I use from Asian Home Gourmet. I have tried a number from their range, such as Hainanese Chicken Rice, Tom Yum Soup, Pad Thai, Nonya Curry and so on and they always taste pretty good. They are made with natural ingredients without funky E-numbers, MSG or strange chemical names, and tastes good too, so that ticks all the boxes in my book. I have seen them quite frequently in many Oriental shops here in the UK so they should not be difficult to find (although I often just stock up on some when I am in Singapore).

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comments:

That looks delicious. My mom makes this once in a while and it's such a treat. She puts salted duck and Chinese sausage on top and seasons the rice with soy sauce and oil. Not healthy at all but so very tasty. I hope to try yours one day. Thanks for sharing!

I like the idea behind your blog! This looks delicious -- each Asian cuisine seems to have their own take on a claypot rice dish (I'm thinking of Korean bib bim bap), and it's interesting to note the nuances between them. I just started food blogging, but do feel free to check me out at thelaygastronomer.wordpress.com. Advice and suggestions are always welcome!

We'd like to invite you to participate in our July berry recipe contest. All competitors will be placed on our blogroll, and the winner will receive a fun prize! Please email me, haleyglasco@gmail.com, if you're interested. Feel free to check out our blog for more details: http://blog.keyingredient.com/2008/06/06/key-ingredient-cooks-kitchen-recipe-contest/

Eula: Haha I hear you on the 'not healthy' part. But tastes so good! :)

Noobcook: Yeah those spice packs are worth trying out, although you can easily go to the food courts or hawker stalls for your fix, not like us overseas!

Nate n Annie: I love salted fish too. It's not great for you health-wise, but a little bit does wonders to the flavour.

The Lay Gastronomer: Thanks for your kind comment. I'll be sure to drop by your blog.

Haley: Thanks for the invitation. Unfortunately being in the middle of a move means I don't have the time or kitchen supplies to cook as I used to. Hopefully I'll be able to participate in blog events again soon.

Mr Orph: Ah, thanks for the info about paella and soccarat. As for rice being sticky in the wok, it helps to use cold rice that has been refrigerated. Overnight/leftover rice is best. And as long as it is not overcooked of course!

I want to try this instead of a stir fry for Wed dinner, but am not clear on how to make it in the rice cooker. If I put rice in, then layer all the additional stuff, how much water would I add? Normally I add water to the line (3 cups rice, fill to #3), but maybe the extra ingredients will throw that off? Would I cook the meats before putting them in the rice cooker or just do the whole thing in there?

Snappiness: Oop sorry if I wasn't clear enough in the post. The rice and meat are essentially cooked in the wok (rather like fried rice) and then transferred to the rice cooker for the flavours to infuse (to imitate being in a claypot). Theoretically, one might be able to cook everything from the start in a rice cooker (raw chicken and all) but I have not figured that out yet! Btw, if you're looking for a one pot dish that all goes into the rice cooker from the start, try the three mushroom rice recipe.